Next week's Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, to be released on Billboard.com Feb. 17, is shaping up to be one of the most historic frames in the list's 52-year history.

Wiz Khalifa's 'Black And Yellow' Tops Hot 100

 
Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" rises 4-1 on the Hot 100 released today (Feb. 10) on Billboard.com, marking the 999th No. 1 title in the chart's archives. Which means: Dating from Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" the week the list originated -- Aug. 4, 1958 -- the Hot 100 is now just one song away from its landmark 1000th leader.

 
Which song might be the 1000th No. 1?

 
Interscope Records will service Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" to radio this Friday (Feb. 11) at 6 a.m. ET and iTunes three hours later. Other digital retailers are expected to offer the track within the following 24 hours.

With a heavy promotional push and Lady Gaga's expected buzzworthy performance Sunday (Feb. 13) at the 53rd Grammy Awards, to be telecast live on CBS, the lead single from the star's forthcoming third studio album could amass enough out-of-the-box sales and radio audience to secure the song coveted status as the Hot 100's 1000th chart-topper.

 
Also in the mix for No. 1 next week are P!nk's "F**kin' Perfect" and tracks from the cast of Fox TV's "Glee," which has released nine songs from episodes that aired Sunday (Feb. 6), following the Super Bowl, and last night (8).


Of course, to play wet-blanket devil's advocate, the wait for the 1000th Hot 100 No. 1 could last past next week, should "Black and Yellow" log a second week on top, or should a former No. 1, such as Bruno Mars' "Grenade" or Katy Perry's "Firework," return to the summit. (The Hot 100 currently employs a formula measuring radio airplay, as tabulated by BDS, sales, according to SoundScan, and streaming activity data provided by online music sources.)

Stay tuned for complete in-depth coverage and analysis of the pending milestone, 52 years in the making, on Billboard.com and Billboard.biz!